SpaceX’s Starship program has been given the green light by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume launches after a mishap during Flight 8 in March. The regulator approved SpaceX’s return to flight determination, citing that the company implemented all corrective actions and met rigorous safety requirements.
The FAA considered several factors before making its decision, including the nature of the mishap, performance of safety-critical systems, and generation of unplanned debris. Despite this, the agency determined that the system or procedure related to the mishap did not affect public safety or any other aspect of SpaceX’s license.
SpaceX submitted its Flight 8 report to the FAA on May 14, and the agency announced its approval of license modifications for Starship Flight 9 on May 21. The company will now conduct its third attempt to demonstrate the full capabilities of its Starship Block 2 design on a complete flight profile.
The upcoming mission aims to deploy eight Starlink simulators, relight one of the Raptor engines in space, and demonstrate a suite of heat shield tile experiments to protect future versions of Starship. The spacecraft will also feature a mostly flight-proven booster for the first time, reusing 29 out of its 33 original Raptor engines.
To improve performance and reliability, SpaceX plans to fly the booster at a higher angle of attack during descent, decreasing speed and requiring less propellant. This approach aims to help future Block 1 versions of the Super Heavy booster as well as a future version.
With this mission, Starship will complete its third attempt to demonstrate the full capabilities of its design. The company has made significant advancements in its technology, including the introduction of new hardware features such as additional preload on key joints and improvements to the propellant drain system.
The successful completion of Starship Flight 9 will mark a major milestone for SpaceX’s reusable rocket program. With this mission, the company aims to showcase the capabilities of its technology and pave the way for future space missions.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/05/23/faa-clears-spacex-to-launch-its-9th-starship-super-heavy-rocket-while-flight-8-mishap-investigation-continues